My good buddies

Headmaster Lin moved faster than you'd expect for someone his age. His usual calm face was now serious and urgent. "They broke through the protection spells in Sector Gamma. That's where the problem started. We need to make them stronger right away." He looked at Xiaoping. "Stay here. Look at the first pictures on the scroll. Learn how the energy flows. I'll be back with news about your friends."

Alone in the quiet room, with the glowing light making long shadows on the old papers, Xiaoping felt many things at once. He was relieved that Headmaster Lin was doing something, but he was also very worried about his friends. He looked down at the scroll, the fancy symbols blurry because he was upset. But he knew Headmaster Lin was right. Running in without thinking would only make things worse for him and his friends. He had to learn, and he had to learn now.

He made himself focus on the scroll. The pictures showed complicated ways that energy moved, not like the straight lines of the normal elements. Lightning, his parents knew, wasn't just a wild burst, but a changing mix of positive and negative power. It could be shaped into fancy patterns and focused very well. There were ways to stand that seemed to use the energy of the air, and ways to breathe that matched the crackling power inside him.

Hours seemed to disappear as Xiaoping got lost in the old writing. He touched the symbols with his fingers, feeling a small tingle as his own energy reacted to the pictures. He practiced the ways to stand, his movements clumsy at first, but slowly feeling more sure as he imagined the lightning flowing through his body. The breathing exercises filled his lungs with strong energy, very different from the fear he had felt earlier.

As the sky started to turn gray and pink, the door opened a little. Headmaster Lin came in, looking tired but determined.

"Your friends are safe, Xiaoping," he said quietly. "They fought bravely and made the attacker run away before more help came. They got hurt, but they'll get better."

Xiaoping felt so relieved, he almost fell down. "Thank goodness," he whispered. "Did they… did they say why they attacked?"

Headmaster Lin nodded, looking sad. "The attacker was clearly after you, Xiaoping. They talked about getting rid of 'mistakes' and bringing back the 'natural order.' This proves what we were afraid of. There are people who see your special power, and maybe what your parents left behind, as a danger."

He pointed to the scroll. "Have you learned anything?"

Xiaoping, feeling a new sense of purpose, stood up straighter. "I'm starting to understand, Headmaster. This isn't just wild power; it's a skill, an art. My parents… they were really good at something amazing."

"Yes, they were," Headmaster Lin said, sounding a little proud. "And now, Xiaoping, it's your turn. The school isn't safe anymore. This attacker was skilled and knew a lot. They'll probably be back, and they might not be alone. We have to get ready."

"What can I do?" Xiaoping asked, his voice now urgent.

"You'll keep studying this scroll," Headmaster Lin said firmly. "I'll have Master Jian watch over your practice. He understands how energy works very well, even though he uses earth, and he'll give you a good base for your lightning. Elara's ideas about air and how energy flows will also help you control your power better."

"What about Kai and Li Wei?" Xiaoping asked, worried.

"They'll focus on getting better, but their support, their willingness to stand by you, is a strength we can't ignore," Headmaster Lin replied. "This danger has made us closer, Xiaoping. We'll face it together."

For the next few days, Xiaoping trained harder than ever. Master Jian, being patient and careful, taught him the basic ways to stand and use energy from the scroll. The strong, steady nature of earth magic was surprisingly helpful for the wildness of lightning, helping Xiaoping find balance and control. Elara, with her sharp sense of air, taught him how to feel the small changes in energy around him, letting him guess and direct his lightning more exactly.

The training was hard, pushing Xiaoping both in body and mind. He fought with Master Jian, his crackling energy meeting the steady resistance of earth shields. He practiced sending his lightning along paths of air guided by Elara, learning to make fancy patterns and strike with focused power.

During breaks, Kai and Li Wei would often join him, encouraging him and sharing their thoughts. Kai, always excited, would be amazed by the raw power of Xiaoping's lightning, suggesting ways to use it explosively. Li Wei, with his calm wisdom, would give ideas about how energy flows and changes direction, comparing it to how water moves.

Slowly but surely, Xiaoping started to feel different inside. The wild bursts of lightning were becoming more focused, more controlled. He could feel the energy inside him more clearly, understanding how it rose and fell. The old ways from the scroll were waking up a part of him that had been quiet, a connection to the raw power of the storm that had always been inside him.

One evening, as a strong storm raged outside, like the trouble inside the school, Headmaster Lin called Xiaoping to his room. The old scroll was open on the desk, lit by the flickering candles.

"Xiaoping," Headmaster Lin said, his voice serious, "we've heard more. More of those shadowy figures have been seen near the school. They're getting bolder."

He pointed to a complicated picture on the scroll. "Your parents called this way 'Thunderous Aegis.' It's a shield made of lightning that spins very fast, able to stop even the strongest attacks. But it needs very good control and a deep understanding of your energy."

Xiaoping looked at the fancy patterns, feeling both scared and excited. The storm outside was wild, but inside him, a different kind of storm was growing – a storm of purpose, driven by the need to protect his friends and honor what his parents had left behind. The truth had been shown, and Xiaoping knew he wasn't just watching the storm anymore; he was learning to become it.

The next few days were a blur of hard training. Xiaoping put all his focus into mastering the Thunderous Aegis. Master Jian's earth magic helped him picture the spinning lines of energy, while Elara's help let him feel and change the small air currents that could either mess up the shield or make it stronger. He practiced again and again, making and keeping up the shield, testing its limits against Master Jian's stronger and stronger earth attacks.

At first, it was clumsy and shaky. Jagged bits of lightning would burst out randomly, and the spinning lines would sputter and fall apart. He felt frustrated, but remembering the cloaked figure and the strong support of his friends pushed him on. He would often picture their faces, their bravery in the face of danger, using that feeling in his practice.

Slowly, bit by bit, he started to get better. The random bursts became smoother, the spinning lines more steady. He learned to change how strong the lightning was, making a shimmering shield that could stop hard hits. Elara taught him to listen to the whispers of the wind, using them to fine-tune the spinning and make spots of stronger energy inside the Aegis.

One afternoon, during a very hard practice, Master Jian sent a series of sharp rocks filled with earth magic. Xiaoping focused, using the calmness Li Wei had taught him, and then let out the Thunderous Aegis. The spinning lines of lightning crackled with power, hitting the rocks with sharp, strong bursts. The impact shook the training ground, but the Aegis stayed strong.

A small smile touched Master Jian's lips. "You're learning, Xiaoping. The wild power is now becoming controlled."

That evening, Headmaster Lin gathered Xiaoping, Kai, Elara, Jian, and Li Wei in his room. The air felt tense, the flickering candles making it seem scary.

"Our scouts have confirmed it," Headmaster Lin said, his voice quiet and serious. "More of these people are coming. They're organized and they're looking for something… or someone." He looked at Xiaoping.

"We think they'll attack in the next day or two," he continued. "We've made the school's protection spells stronger, but they're clearly good at getting past magic defenses. We have to be ready to meet them."

Kai clenched his fists, flames flickering around them. "Let them come! We'll burn them to ashes!"

Elara, though she still looked calm, had a determined look in her eyes. "We'll stand together."

Jian nodded firmly, his hands on the ground beneath him. "The school won't fall."

Li Wei put a reassuring hand on Xiaoping's shoulder. "We're here for you, Xiaoping."

Xiaoping felt a rush of warmth and thanks for his friends. The fear was still there, a knot in his stomach, but it was now mixed with a strong purpose. He looked at Headmaster Lin.

"I'm ready," he said, his voice firm. "I'll defend this school, and I'll protect my friends."

Headmaster Lin nodded, a bit of hope in his eyes. "Then let's get ready."

The next day, the school held its breath. The air felt unnaturally still, the usual sounds of students practicing and talking gone, replaced by a tense quiet. Xiaoping spent the morning in the training areas, making his Thunderous Aegis better, testing its limits, and trying to send out bolts of lightning while keeping up the shield.

As the sun started to set, the school's protection spells glowed with an evil red light. The ground shook, and the air crackled with dark energy.

"They're here," Headmaster Lin's voice echoed through the school, made louder by magic. "To your defenses!"

Students and teachers quickly went to where they were supposed to be. Kai stood ready at the main gate, flames dancing around him like restless spirits. Elara went to the rooftops, the wind swirling at her command. Jian stood strong at the courtyard entrance, the earth beneath his feet rising to make protective walls. Li Wei stood near the central fountain, the water shimmering with hidden power.

Xiaoping stood with Headmaster Lin in the main courtyard, the old scroll tucked safely inside his clothes. He could feel the hum of the dark magic coming closer, a bad feeling that made his teeth hurt.

Shadowy figures appeared at the edges of the protection spells, their shapes unclear in the dim light but their evil plans obvious. They moved with a scary coordination, their burning magic eating away at the protective walls.

"They're attacking the western gate!" someone shouted.

"Kai, Elara, help them!" Headmaster Lin ordered.

As his friends ran to the gate, Headmaster Lin turned to Xiaoping. "This is it, child. Show them the power of the storm inside you."

Xiaoping nodded, his heart pounding. He used the energy inside him, the familiar hum now a strong beat. He could feel the crackling power, the raw force waiting to be used.

The western gate exploded in a shower of sparks and falling stone as the shadowy figures broke through the weak protection spells. Kai met them with a roaring fire, while Elara made sharp gusts of wind to mess up their attack. But the dark magic was strong, burning tendrils lashing out, forcing them to retreat.

Suddenly, a figure left the main group and moved quickly towards the courtyard. It was the same cloaked attacker from the training areas, looking right at Xiaoping.

"The mistake will be silenced," the figure hissed, his voice full of dark energy.

Headmaster Lin stepped forward, his staff glowing with old power. "You won't touch him!"

But the attacker was fast, sending out a bunch of burning bolts. Headmaster Lin blocked them with a shimmering shield, but the force pushed him back.

"Xiaoping, now!" Headmaster Lin shouted.

This was it. No more practice. No more careful control. This was about staying alive, for his friends, for what his parents had left behind.

Xiaoping closed his eyes for a moment, using the calm stillness Li Wei had taught him. He pictured the drawings on the old scroll, the fancy flow of lightning energy. He felt the power inside him rise, no longer a wild animal but a focused force.

He opened his eyes, looking right at the attacker. With a shout that sounded like the thunder of a coming storm, he let out the Thunderous Aegis.

Lines of bright blue-white lightning burst out around him, spinning very fast, making a shimmering, strong wall. The burning bolts hit the Aegis, disappearing with sizzling anger.

The cloaked figure jumped back in surprise, his eyes wide in disbelief. "What… what is this power?"

Xiaoping didn't answer. He focused his mind, sending more energy into the Aegis, making it stronger. The air around him crackled with raw energy.

Then, remembering his training with Elara, he focused on the small air currents, making the lightning lines spin faster. The Aegis became a swirl of pure energy, crackling and humming with deadly power.

With a final burst of power, Xiaoping didn't just defend; he attacked. Focusing the energy of the spinning shield, he sent out bolts of focused lightning, guided by the invisible paths of air, towards the cloaked figure.

The lightning struck with blinding force, lighting up the courtyard in a flash of blue-white light. The figure screamed as the raw energy went through them, their dark magic flickering and fading. They stumbled backward, their shape disappearing into shadow before vanishing completely.

A stunned silence fell over the courtyard. The other shadowy figures at the gates hesitated, their attack failing. They had seen the power of the "mistake," and it had hit them like a thunderbolt.

Kai shouted in victory, flames bursting around him. "Did you see that, lightning boy? You fried him!"

Elara floated down from the rooftop, looking amazed. "Incredible, Xiaoping."

Jian's earth walls stayed strong, but he looked at Xiaoping with new respect.

Li Wei came closer, smiling gently. "You have found your storm, Xiaoping."

Headmaster Lin approached, looking relieved and understanding. "Your parents would be proud, Xiaoping. You've only just started to find the true power of your gift."

The attack was stopped, the school safe for now. But Xiaoping knew this wasn't the end. The shadowy figures would probably be back. But something had changed. The fear and doubt that had bothered him were replaced by a growing confidence. He wasn't just the "lightning child," the mistake, anymore. He was a user of a special and strong magic, a protector of his friends and his home. The storm inside him had broken, and its power was his to control. The journey had just begun.